Scacchi on Scacchi

WHAT'S ON Scacchi on Scacchi tar of stage and screen but that isn't why theatre is my Greta Scacchi is favourite medium. I like the fact making her debut at that it is so immediate and you get SClapham’s Omnibus, as the an audience response there and multi-arts venue’s seventh then and that it is different every night - not always in a good way! In Conversation With guest, writes Laura Burgoine... The pathway into acting has Novelist and critic Peter changed somewhat with more Guttridge is interviewing the people pursuing the profession, actress, who first found fame in general universities offering Merchant Ivory’s Heat and Dust drama degrees, reality TV and and went on to critical acclaim social media giving people in White Mischief and Robert platforms –what would you Altman’s Oscar-nominated The recommend to people who want Player. More recently, the 56-year- to pursue acting careers? old has appeared on screen in the BBC’s sumptuous adaptation of I was very, very lucky because War and Peace playing Countess I got an agent from our final Rostova. This month she begins production at drama school and rehearsals for a new West End got a touring play (with Mark production. Rylance and Kevin McNally) and Ahead of the official In then a telly (Bergerac) almost Conversation, the Emmy award straight away. But I should also Scacchi in the BBC adaptation of War and Peace (far left); and in 1988's White Mischief winning actress has a conversation point out that I'd already applied with the Weekender. for work to dozens of theatre I’m Australian and I still remember You still perform quite a lot of In White Mischief (which got me companies doing productions watching Looking for Alibrandi theatre over there? noticed in Hollywood) I forged You’ve lived all over the world– for education projects etc and [2000 Australian drama/romance a lifelong friendship with Joss where feels like home to you now? got turned down by all of them. film] as a teenager and being Yes, I try to do a play every Ackland. War and Peace was the Today - yes, it's very different and blown away by it. It was such an couple of years - most recently start of a process of me moving I have always been peripatetic I wouldn't dream of giving advice important film for my generation. Uncle Vanya in Perth in 2015. I into a different though equally because I'm half Italian, half except to say be tenacious and grew up in Perth so it was nice to exciting stage of my career. Australian and half English (and learn to deal with rejection (which, What attracted you to that go back. lousy at maths). The corny answer many times after my flying start I project? Do you work in the What’s coming up next for you? has always been home is wherever have had to deal with!). Australian film and TV industry Which pieces of work made the my family is - except that my two much? most impact on you? Or were In July I start rehearsals with children, Leila and Matteo, are What’s been the best lessons your favourite? War and Peace? Kenneth Branagh and John Hurt grown up now and one lives in you’ve learned from your years Thank you. It was an important White Mischief? for a West End production of John Los Angeles, the other in Sydney. in the industry? film for me because I am Italian Osborne's The Entertainer which I have strong links with this part brought up in Australia and I That's a good question but one will run for most of the rest of this of London - the first house I was As above - don't let them grind understood many of the tensions in that is almost impossible to answer year. I have a couple of other lucky enough to buy with my ill- you down. Stick to your guns. that family. I had teenage children as most pieces of work have things to consider for next year gotten gains as an actress was in myself at the time so there were something significant about them. but for now I'm focusing on that - I Kennington and my mum, who I'm I read you turned down the lead other resonances. It was also one Heat and Dust, my first film with have far too many lines to learn! very close to, lives near there also. role in Basic Instinct, which of the first times I played a mother the late lamented Ismail Merchant Sharon Stone famously went so that was interesting! I haven't and James Ivory was a fantastic, Greta Scacchi is In You studied at the Bristol Old on to play. Why did you turn it worked in Australian film and TV rich experience because it was Conversation at the Omnibus, Vic. What was that training like? down? much for ages but at the start of my first major role, because of 1 Clapham Common North Side, Is theatre your favourite medium my career I did a lot of both. And, filming in India and because it SW4 0QW, to work in as an actor? A whole host of reasons but actually, I may be doing another started a friendship with those two on Saturday 23 July at 7:30pm. mostly because I thought the Italian/Australian co-production remarkable men that still endures Admission: £18 / £16 concessions. Actually, the training in Bristol attitude towards lesbianism was next year, though filming in Italy with James and lasted until Ismail's Phone: 0207 498 4699. was very much theatre-oriented appalling. rather than Australia. heartbreaking premature death. www.omnibus-clapham.org 4 July 8 2016 [email protected] / www.weekenderlife.co.uk.

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